Final Fantasy EX
by AshenDragon
Summary: A Final Fantasy-based tribute story. There are NOT going to be cameos from other FF games, its an original work set within the general style and umbrella of the Final Fantasy games. Basically think of it as a standalone FF game itself and enjoy the 3 disks you found when you opened the box!


**DISK I - INTRO CINEMATIC**

Aturo glared through the blood and sweat that ran down his face. The creature in front of him had once been human, like himself, but all that remained now was a twisted, withered husk maintained by the magic energy flowing through the pipes and circuits woven into its flesh. A mockery of the life that had once flowed through its veins.

"Look around you, General of the Cradle," it hissed. It's form may have been shriveled and dead, but his voice was alive, and full of malice and hatred. "All of your friends, your precious allies, are dying. Soon you will join them. Even your armies may triumph, but you've seen that what they are struggling against is but a fraction of our forces. They will not last forever." The technolich laughed menacingly. "Be grateful that we will give you death, for it is mercifully cold. We 'Revenants' would know that better than any other."

Groaning and doing his best to keep himself from toppling over, Aturo struggled to his feet. Even with his best efforts, he staggered, his footing unsteady. Gritting his teeth against the aching of the wounds all over his body, Aturo spat at his enemy's feet. "You're nothing but a twisted monster, warped by your own magitech." That only drew another laugh, which slid into a wheeze, a rush of steam releasing from the pipes studding the lich's back. Aturo narrowed his eyes. Frontal attacks had been useless, until a few of his companions managed to push their way past the mechanical guardians and attack the lich from behind. Their success had been short-lived as the technolich had released a wave of powerful magic, knocking them down and incapacitating most of them. He remembered the armored form of Ranz stepping in front to soak the blow, but it had only kept Aturo from being down for the count like the rest of his party. He couldn't tell if Zerina, Mal, or any of the others were alright either, and he couldn't spend any time to check either. The lich would take advantage of an opening to end Aturo in an instant, and it wouldn't take much either.

Seeing Aturo's stance widen and steady, the lich scoffed at him. "You still intend to fight me? You should know it is futile. I was a Red Mage too. I know your spells, and the spells of your allies, and how to counter them. Your human body is frail, barely fit to stand, while I am a 'Revenant' and cannot be destroyed by a mere human's hands."

Aturo's grip tightened on his sword, bringing it up between the two of them. There was only one thing he could do. His bag didn't have anything he could use, and even if he did have any phoenix down to revive another member of his party, the lich would just wipe the two of them out. He had to stall for time, to keep the technolich distracted, and hope that the Holy Beasts would succeed.

"You're no Revenant." Gritting his teeth, Aturo attempted to move forward and slash, only to have his strike hit what felt like hardened air, and repel him. "You'll never be one of the Endless Heroes! You've tried to destroy the world and have warped nations and lives to your twisted ends!" Gathering his energy into his left hand, he flung it out at the lich, only to see the flames of his spell Fira splash harmlessly around his foe without even touching him. The shield and barrier were _both_ still in effect, and Aturo grit his teeth, for the inevitable counter-attack.

It came in the form of the ground underneath him shaking and then bursting apart sending him flying several feet into the air before he crashed hard into the ground, wheezing as he tried to regain his breath.

"Fool of a boy," spat the technolich. "You know knothing! This world is doomed, its end preordained. It will wither and die like a fruit left on the vine to rot. Nothing can stop that. Only through our magitech can the world be preserved!"

Scrambling back to his knees, the Red Mage coughed violently, blood spattering on the black stones beneath him. "A world like that is not a world for the living!" Aturo staggered to his feet again. He could feel a rising heat inside him. It gave him strength and bolstered by it, he staggered to his feet once more. "That world is one just as dead and withered as what you claim you're trying to prevent!"

"It cannot be stopped!"

"That is not for you to decide," Aturo shot back, his grip on his sword tightening until his knuckles turned white. "We are the people living and breathing in this world. We'll spend every day laughing, crying, and fighting until the moment we take our final breath and only then do we give up our right to try and change the world. You gave up breathing a long time ago, so like hell are we going to sit around at let you have your way!" The Red Mage clasped the hilt of his sword with his second hand, and dropped into a stance, the blade being held level with his eyes, the tip pointed at the false Revenant. "We'll find a way to survive, that's what the living do! You gave up living and became an abomination. I'll defeat you here and now!"

In the distance, out on the war-ravaged fields below, there was a cry and then a column of light. Aturo's expression turned into a grim smile. He'd managed to delay long enough for the Holy Beasts and the combined armies of the world to beat the machinations the technolich had initially sent to oppose them. The cry was followed by another, and a matching column of light, until all 12 of the Holy Beasts had joined in. The tones of their howls were clear and pure, like a bell.

The air around Aturo began to stir, and the same light marking the Holy Beasts, began to emanate from Aturo's sword. The glow and the wind both began to grow around him, and the sword now was almost blinding to look at.

"Ultima..." The lich breathed out, almost reverently. "I know of that spell as well, but it cannot be cast. Even I, the greatest member of our order couldn't complete the spell, even with the Holy Beasts bolstering your magic, it will still be futile. Your life would be forfeit. Would you really throw everything away just to _try_ and destroy me?"

The Red Mage's face hardened. "If it means saving everything precious to me... yes." Aturo became aware of the lich trying to throw magic at him, only for it to be rebuffed by the huge well of magic surging around him now. Right now he had to concentrate, and ensure that he cast everything right. Lives, no, the entire world, was on the line. He coudln't afford to fail.

_The first strike cuts away doubt, and steels the soul._

Ritual words and motions filled Aturo's head, as his battered body sprang into action with more force than he should have been able to muster. The Holy Beasts were lending their power - so much of their power - to ensure the world could live another day. There was nowhere to go now but forward. Unlike his attacks last time, this time his strikes cut through magic and metal as if they were paper, the sword in his hands leaving a gleaming white arc.

_The second strike calls for justice, and is answered._

Aturo had seen many different kinds of magic, and many things in the world that others could only dream of. Met countless people, encountered countless monsters, all leading up to this moment - to make the technolich pay for its sins. Even with all his experience in the world, the magic coursing through his body and sword right now filled him with a child-like sense of wonder and awe. The second arc came down, and carved a path through the technolich's twisted husk of metal to accompany the first. Aturo felt drained already, but the spell wasn't over yet. Could he continue it? Was even the power of the Holy Beasts not enough for Ultima?

_The third strike pierces fear, leaving only strength._

If someone had been conscious to hear, Aturo would have remarked that it pierced liches fairly well. Like the ritual words accompanying Ultima said, he felt calmer now. It wasn't a matter of if they had enough power to help him cast it. All that he could do would be to bring his full strength to bear. It would be enough, even as the strain on his body, made him feel sluggish and like he was being slowly pulled apart. There was nothing to fear.

_The fourth strike cleaves hesitation, the time is now!_

The fourth strike ended, with launching Aturo high into the air, in a leap he knew his body could not make in its current state. Even so, his body began to feel pleasantly numb. He knew he was weakening, but all he could feel right now was the comforting strength of his magic blending with the overwhelming power from the Holy Beasts. There was only one, final stretch to go, and Ultima would be complete and he would have done it, he would be the man who saved the world, and at only 21 years old. He laughed inside, or maybe he had out loud. He couldn't tell if he was even speaking the words, the rush of the tempest of magic around him drowning him to all other sounds. How far he'd gone in just 6 years, and how many obstacles and doubts he'd overcome. Well, he deserved a break after this. A nice, long nap was the first thing he'd do once this was over.

_The final strike rains down the Ultimate Destruction._

All Aturo could see know was the white, light as he swung his hands down, the final blow seeming to consume everything in light. It filled him. It _was_ him. And he was it. He felt so tired now. He thought he heard voices, but right now, he was just going to drift out into the endless expanse of warm, white light in front of him, and take his well-deserved nap. He hoped his friends, his comrades, were going to be able to handle things just fine from now on...


End file.
